Sandy Francis

I have space for adults and young people with either diagnosed or suspected eating disorders. My ED clinic is Mondays and Thursdays only, either face to face in Castle Cary or online. I can come to your home too but this will incur a charge (for travel and time) and will be subject to safety checks.

Early evening/morning appointments are possible as well as office hours. The treatment is fixed-length ranging from 6 - 40 sessions depending on the nature of the problem.

I utilise an evidenced-based therapy called CBT-e. This stands for Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy - enhanced and is an effective treatment for Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge-eating disorder and combination eating disorders. 

In addition to treating eating disorders, I have utilised it effectively to help people who do not meet the criteria for a specified eating disorder but recognise in themselves a tendency to either over eat or restrict - more disordered eating than an eating disorder.

CBT-e was developed by the Department of Psychiatry in the Centre for Research on Eating Disorders at the University of Oxford. Research is sound and like all bona-fide treatments, it is ongoing. It is spearheaded by Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry Christopher Fairburn. The treatment is endorsed in NICE guidance for both eating disorders and weight management.

I was fortunate enough to complete my initial CBT-e training with Christopher Fairburn (in 2012) as part of a research project into the effectiveness of teaching practitioners how to deliver CBT-E in primary care. 

CBT-e is a fixed-episode treatment. 

Each CBT-e treatment plan is bespoke and tailored to your individual needs. This means that sessions will focus on your particular issues, as described by you. We can look at sticking points, concerns/worries/fears and work out on an ongoing basis where the focus needs to be.

The length of the treatment episode overall is generally as set out below.

The first session will be a treatment/assessment and will be 90 minutes.

Treatment duration:

Overeating/dieting/restricting problems  6 - 8 sessions once a week initially.

Binge eating disorder - 12 sessions, once a week initially.

Bulimia Nervosa - 20 sessions with the first 8 sessions held over 4 weeks.

Anorexia Nervosa - 40 sessions with the first 8 sessions held over 4 weeks.

Non-specified eating disorders 12 - 20 sessions. 

The first session of CBT-e consists of assessment/treatment.

This will be a 90 minute session in which I will explain the treatment and discuss with you how you define the issues so that we can work out between us which treatment approach is most likely to lead to a full recovery.

There are a number of questionnaires but these are completed collaboratively - it is very much a joint exercise with a deep respect for your autonomy and individuality.

I will then suggest an initial between-session task so that you can start on your recovery journey straight away if you want to. You are not obliged to continue with treatment however. You can of course leave at any time.

All sessions are £95.

I currently have a few supervision slots available and am interested in working with both qualified and trainee counsellors. 

My rate for qualified counsellors is £50 per hour or £70 for one 90 minute session. 

My rate for trainee/student counsellors in placement is £40 per hour or £75 for two hours per month.

I am happy to see you in my office in Castle Cary or online.

My supervision style predominantly focuses on support and nurture. I work collaboratively with a motivational, forward- looking focus but with a sharp eye on safe, ethical practice. 

I qualified as a supervisor in 2008 and have worked consistently since then both in private practice and for large organisations such as Cruse Bereavement Care and the NHS. I held the position of senior psychological therapist in the NHS for several years supervising a team of IAPT therapists, an experience that has helped me develop an extensive knowledge of safeguarding and other legal concerns. I understand that sometimes direct advice is necessary.

I have trained in various counselling modalities and currently supervise the practice of therapists using a variety of approaches including: Person Centred, Psychodynamic, Art Therapy, Integrative, CBT and Interpersonal Group Therapy. 

I have a particular interest in helping therapists work with clients who might have worrying presentations such as emotion regulation issues/addictions/hearing voices/suicidal ideation. Recent evidence seems to suggest that more and more people with complex presentations arrive in private practice or in volunteer, charity and non-profit settings where students find their placements.  

Strong, supportive, clear supervision is essential and I feel this is what I can provide. 

My current roles are:

Associate Lecturer in Counselling and Forensic Psychology on the counselling, psychology and criminology degrees for The Open University. 

Private supervisor working with supervisees in private practice and in employed settings such as addiction rehabilitation and mental health charities (Mind etc.)

Therapist in private practice using integrative therapy and, for eating disorders - CBT-E (Fairburn). 

My qualifications are: MA (Psych);  Post grad certs (Supervision; CBT-E (eating disorders); BSc Addictions Counselling (Group Therapy, CBT, MI, Systemic Family Therapy); Adv Dip Integrative Counselling (CPCAB)

My interests are all of the above plus I am also a particular advocate of Existential Psychotherapy, Systemic working and DBT.

If you are interested, I suggest we have a phone call in the first instance to check compatibility. 

I provide training in Motivational Interviewing - an evidence-based, directive, person-centred way of working with people to promote positive change.

For information - look at the official organisation website at www.motivationalinterveiwing.org

I was introduced to MI in 2009 as part of a BSc in addictions counselling at the University of Bath. I was working in a prison at the time and felt quite lost in terms of finding a balance between helping and surviving. MI was exactly what I needed to be able to help prisoner-clients who often presented as having given up on themselves or as suspicious of people trying to help.

I don't think I would have been able to work effectively in prisons without MI. Since then I have specialised in MI, taking advanced trainings and becoming a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers.

I have successfully integrated MI into all my work which takes place in a variety of settings (NHS, addiction rehabilitation, private clients, supervision). It has long been a significant asset in my working life and is an approach I am very keen to pass on.

I have trained counsellors in private practice, teams of nurses, GPs and physical and psychological therapists, addiction treatment specialists and key workers and support workers in a wide variety of settings. I have also trained prison-based teams, fellow MI trainers, natural and complementary health specialists and school/university staff. The satisfaction scores are high - not because of me specifically but because of the fundamental usefulness of MI no matter what the situation is.

I offer one-to-one and group training/coaching for all levels - from taster trainings to advanced practice. I provide low cost trainings for non-profit/charity organisations.  

I suggest a phone call in the first instance to find out what I needed and what is possible re length/area and level of training.